Cigar lighter



July 8, 1941. H, LEHMANN 2,248,409

CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Dec. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 sea INVENTOR ATTORNJuly 8, 1941. H. G. LEHMANN CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Dec. 28, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 8, 1941 CIGAR LIGHTER Herbert G. Lehmann,Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to Automatic Devices Corporation, Bridgeport,Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application December 28, 1937, SerialNo. 182,083

6 Claims.

This invention relates to cigar lighters and more particularly tolighters adapted to be mounted in the dashboards of automobiles.

In current lighters, means have been provided for opening the circuit tothe heating element Wl'lQl'l the heating element has attained itspredetermined heat. In some instances, however, where the thermostaticor heat responsive switch is mounted in heat-receiving relation with theheating element on the igniting unit, the operation of the switch isimpaired due to the fact that, after repeated usage, burnt tobacco andother oxidized scale is deposited on the outer surface of the heatingelement and prevents proper heat transfer to the heat-responsive switch.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a control unit for openingthe circuit to the heatelement in which an auxiliary heating elenu ismounted on the base and operates the responsive means for the circuitfor the 0 element. With such a construction, the her. ing element, whichserves to control the circuit, is not removed. from the holder "andsubsequently is not likely to become dirty or have itsheat--transferring properties impaired so that the lighter will alwaysfunction faithfully.

It has been found that the auxiliary heating element can be of andesired shape, but, preferably, it is made similar to that mounted onthe igniting unit. When these two heating elements are so similarlyconstructed, their properties are substantially identical and theauxiliary heating element will open the circuit when the heating elementon the igniting unit has reached a corresponding temperature. Also,since the same manufacturing operations can be used to form many of theelements, a lower cost of manturing is achieved. unit is mounted on theholder for easy removal therefrom, since it has no permanent connectionswith the holder and igniting unit, and, therefore, does not requiredismantling of the latter elements when it is to be replaced or removed.The heat rcsponsive means, on the control unit also can be readilyremoved for replacement if necessary. Because the unit can be readilyremoved from the holding device, the user of the cigar lighter canobtain a large variety of operating relations which will produce thecharacteristics suited to his needs.

For example, the two heating elements can be connected in series orparallel circuits and the circuit closed upon movement of the ignitingunit into energizing position. The heat-responsive switch, in this case,will open the circuit upon being heated and, if the heating element isnot removed from energizing position, will again automatically close thecircuit upon cooling off. Or. the user of the device can have the twoheating elements connected in either series or parallel relation andhave the control unit provided With a manually operable switch whichwill close the circuit when the igniting unit is in energizing positionand which will be opened by the heatresponsive means when the heatingelement attains its predetermined temperature. In this case, however,the circuit will not be automatically made if the user of the deviceshould fail to remove it, but would remain open until the manuallyoperable switch is actuated again.

The igniting unit. which is the same for all possible arrangements ofthe circuit, is provided with a lens at its outer end and with openingsat its inner end in light-receiving relation with the heating element sothat, when the latter becomes incandescent, the lens will glow andindicate that the lighter is ready for use.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thespecification, when taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the device with the igniting unit ininoperative position, the holder being in section.

Fig, 2 is a longitudinal sectional View or" the holder and control meansand part of the igniting unit.

Fig. 3 is a section of the device taken along line of Fig. 2.

i is a diagrammatical showing of the two heating elements connected inseries through the thermostatic switch.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 2, with the auxiliary heating elementconnected in parallel with the heating element on the igniting unit.

6 is a longitudinal section of a holder and control device and part ofthe igniting unit forming another form of the invention in which the twoheating elements are in parallel relation and showing the manuallycontrolled switch on the control unit.

Big. 7 is a plan View of the control unit shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows another form of the invention, partl in section, showingthe auxiliary control means with the manually operable switch and theheating element arranged for series connection with the heating elementon the igniting unit.

Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically the circuit for the two heating elementswhen arranged in parallel.

According to the present invention, a tubular sheet metal holder isthreaded as at 2| at its open end and is provided with a plurality ofoutwardly extending tangs 22 lanced therefrom adjacent the threaded end.The holder is adapted to be placed in an aperture in a dashboard 23 orother support with the tangs 22 engaging the back thereof and a collaror escutcheon plate 24 is threaded on the open end of the holder andinto engagement with the front of the dashboard to lock the holder inplace thereon.

The holder is provided at its inner end with a transverse wall 25. ing ahead 26a and a threaded end 2527, is mounted in a central aperture inthe end wall and is insulated therefrom by an insulating washer 2"!having a projecting neck 27a passing through the end wall and anotherinsulating washer 25, 1

as shown in Fig. 2.

A contact 29, having the ends thereof formed to provide hook-shapedlatches 29a as shown in Fig. 2, is positioned in the holder so as toextend under the head of the stud and be clamped between the head andthe insulating washer Zl by means of a nut 30, threaded on theprojecting end of the stud and which also clamps the stud in place inthe end wall of the holder.

The contact and stud are connected to a suitable source of energy bymeans of a lug 3i secured to a conductor 32 connected to the battery orthe like. The lug is positioned on the stud and locked in place by a nut33. The holder has an opening 34 formed therein adjacent the :7

cured thereto, at one end and having the other 4 end formed with areduced diameter, as indicated at 38. A conducting cap 39 of metal orother conducting material is secured to the reduced end of the ignitingunit by having a projecting threaded sleeve 40 which is threaded intothe bore of the sleeve 36 as shown in Fig. 2. The conducting cap is ofthe same diameter as the reduced end of the sleeve so as to be spacedfrom the walls of the holder.

A heating coil 43, preferably a helical coil of resistance wire, isadapted to be mounted on the end of the igniting unit. The heating coilis mounted with one end secured to a contact cup 44 and the other endsecured to the slotted end of a central stud 45 which electricallyconnects the same to the conducting cap. As shown in Fig. 2, the centralstud 45 clamps the contact cup and heating element to the conductingcap. The contact cup, however, is insulated from the stud and theconducting cap by means of insulation 46.

The conducting cap and contact may be provided with suitable aperturesor openings 4'! through which light from the heating element, when thelatter is brought to incandescence for use, is transmitted through thehollow body of the igniting unit to a lens 48 mounted in the end of thehandle to indicate to the user f the device that the heating element orcoil has acquired the desired heat and is ready for use.

The igniting unit is adapted to be removably mounted in the holder whichis provided with a holding tang 50 lanced inwardly of the holder andformed with a latch or hook 5| which is adapted to engage a roundedshoulder 36a A conducting stud 26, havformed adjacent the reduced end ofthe igniting unit so as to hold the igniting unit in a normal orinoperative position. However, upon pressure being exerted on the handleon the igniting unit, it can be readily moved inwardly in the holderinto a position in which the contact cup is engaged by the latched ends29a of the contact 29 to close a circuit through the heating element.

According to the present invention, a control unit, indicated generallyby 52, is adapted to be mounted on a plurality of lugs 53 lanced fromthe holder so as to project outwardly therefrom. The control unitcomprises a support 54, provided adjacent its ends with downwardlyprojecting legs 55, adapted to engage the projecting lugs 53 on theholder and be movably secured hereto by screws 56. An auxuliary heatingcoil 52 is mounted on the support. The auxiliary heating element may beof any design. However, in the preferred form of the invention, the unitis made as a helical coil which is similar to the one connected to theigniting unit in size and shape so that the two coils will havesubstantially the same characteristics. The heating coil has one endsecured to a contact cup 59 and the other end secured to the slotted endof a central stud 83. As shown in Fig. 2, the central stud 53 secures tle heating element and contact cup to the support with the contact cupinsulated therefrom by insulating washers 6|. The support adjacent oneend is provided with an aperture in which is mounted a tubular bush 65of insulating material through which a bolt 65 is passed and aninsulating washer 61 is positioned on the bolt adjacent the undersurfaceof the support. A contact 58 is mounted on the lower end of the bolt andis held against the washer 5'! by a nut 59 which locks the bushing inplace on the support. The Contact 63, when in this position, will extendthrough the opening 34 in the holder and extend into the path of thecond cting cap to engage the latter and make contact therewith when theigniting unit is moved to energizing position. clamped between the head66a and the bushing 65 is a thermostatic element 10, preferably made ofbimetallic material, extending transversely of the heating coil andnormally in engagement with a contact i! carried by the contact cup, asshown in Fig. 2.

With this arrangement of elements, when the igniting unit is positionedinto energized position, the contact engages the conducting cap 39completes the circuit through both of the ing elements, the circuit willbe from the conductor 32, through the lugs 3!, through the stud 26,contacts 29, contact cup 44, heating coil :3, central stud 45, to theconducting cap 39, through the contact 68, through the bimetallic str pIE, to the contact H, through the contact cup 59, auxiliary heating coil53, central stud E6, and to ground on the holder.

After the circuit is thus closed, both of the heating elements willbecome energized and the heat from the auxiliary heating element 58 willcause the bimetallic switch means 10 to hex and .3en the circuit, at thesame time the lens will gl w, due to the light rays emitting when theheat-i; g element has become incandescent to indicate to the user thatthe heating element is ready for use.

When the heating element has acquired its desired heat, the thermostaticswitch will flex in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and orn the circuit, whereupon the igniting unit can he removed for use.Should the user of the so positioned with respect to the resilient armsof the U that they will be moved to a position wherein the arms extendto one side or the other of the line passing through the pivots H9. Inother words, the arms form a toggle switch.

Means for actuating the switch comprises a plunger H4, slidably mountedin the upstanding wall 86. The plunger is provided with a spring H5surrounding the same and having one end engaging the outside surface ofthe wall 5'5, and the other end abutting a finger piece I I6 secured tothe outer end of the plunger to normally urge the plunger outwardly fromthe heating element. This outward movement is limited by a shoulder H!formed on the plunger.

' After the igniting unit has been moved to the energizing position, inwhich a circuit is closed through the two heating elements, the plungeris moved inwardly contacting the pivotally mounted contact arms I85 andmoving them into a position as shown in Fig. '7, wherein contacts H2 enage the bimetallic element. and complete the circuit to ground. As theheating elements attain their desired heat, the lens 48 on the ignitingunit will glow to indicate the incandescence of the heating element andthe bimetallic strip will flex and move the contact arms past theneutral position between the pivots I I3, whereby the resilient armswill snap the pivoted arms into open-circuit position. With this form ofthe invention, once the heating element has attained its predeterminedheat, the circuit cannot be remade until the switch is manually closedagain.

While the two heating elements have been disclosed as being in paralleland ope ted by the switch, they can be placed in series if desired forcoacting with a switch as is shown in Fig. 8. In this form of theinvention, the switch operation is the same as described with respect toFigs. 6 and '7, however, the bimetallic thermostat W5 is secured by astrip 126 to the contact cup, whereby the circuit for the auxiliaryheating element is through contact I64, central stud 99,

through the heating element 91, contact cup 98, i

strip l29, to the thermostat Hi5, and through the switch, when closed,to ground.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that applicant has provided a cigarlighter with an auxiliary control which will function faithfully andwhich will open the circuit when the heating element attains itspredetermined temperature. The control iuiit is so constructed that itcan be readily removed for repair or replacement and several unitshaving different modes of operation can be interchanged with theigniting unit and holder so as to satisfy the needs of the user. Forexample, the unit can be used in which the auxiliary heating elementwill be in series with the heating element on the igniting unit and thecircuit closed by inserting the igniting unit to energizing position onthe holder. Gr, the auxiliary heating element can be placed in parallelwith the heating element of the igniting unit and the circuit closedupon movement of the igniting unit into energizing position. With thesetwo arrangements, the heating element or the igniting unit will becontinually in the c rcuit until removed and the circuit will be closed,off

and on, as the thermostat heats and cools. However, if the user desires,he can have a control unit in which the heating element can be either inseries or in parallel with the heating element on the igniting unit andwhich is provided with a manually operable switch for closing thecircuit, which switch is opened in accordance with the temperature ofthe auxiliary heating element and will not again close the circuit untilthe switch is manually actuated so that, upon the heating elementattaining its predetermined heat, the circuit is opened and will not beautomatically remade.

This arrangement, of course, gives the user quite a selection ofoperating characteristics which can be had by merely electing the propercontrol unit and mounting it on the holder for cooperation with theheating element on the igniting unit.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of thisinvention and portions of the improvements maybe used without others.

I claim:

1. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted on the holderfor complete removal for use; a heating element carried by the ignitingunit; means for closing a circuit through the heating element uponmovement of the igniting unit to energizing position; and a control unitremovably mounted on the holder and connected in the circuit for thefirst heating element, said unit comprising an auxiliary heatingelement, a contact carried thereby and extending into the path of theigniting unit to complete an electrical connection between the firstheating element and the auxiliary heating element, and heat-responsivemeans removably mounted on the unit and extending into heat-conductingrelation with the auxiliary heating element and adapted to open thecircuit when the last-named heating element has attained itspredetermined temperature.

2. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted on the holderfor complete removal for use; a heating element carried by the ignitingunit; means for closing a circuit through the heating element when movedto energized position on the holder; an auxiliary heating elementmounted on the holder; means for electrically connecting the heatingelement and the auxiliary heating element upon movement of the ignitingunit to energizing position; and heat-responsive switch means in thecircuit and in heat-conducting relation with the auxiliary heatingelement for opening the circuit when the last-named heating element hasattained a predetermined temperature, and manual means for completingthe circuit comprising a toggle switch operable to close the circuit andoperatively connected with the heat-responsive means to be openedthereby when the heating element has attained its predeterminedtemperature.

3. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted on the holderfor complete removal for use, the igniting unit having a conducting capat the inner end thereof and a heating element secured thereto; acontact in the base of the holder for engaging and closing a circuitthrough the heating element on the igniting unit when moved intoenergizing position; a heating element substantially like thefirst-named element mounted on the exterior of the holder and providedwith a contact extending into the holder for engagement with theconducting cap on the igniting unit when the igniting unit has beenmoved into energizing position to thus complete a circuit through bothof the heating elements; and heat-responsive switch means in the circuitand in heat-conducting relation with the heating element on the holderfor opening the circuit when the last-named heating element has attaineda predetermined temperature.

4. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit insulatedly mounted onthe holder for complete removal for use; a heating element secured tothe igniting unit; contact means on the holder for connecting theheating element to a source of current; a substantially identicalheating element mounted on the exterior of the holder and provided witha contact ex ending into the holder for engagem nt with the ignitingunit to complete a circuit from said source of current through bothheating elements upon movement of the igniting unit to energizingposition; and means for opening the circuit when the last-named heatingele ment has reached a predetermined temperature.

5. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit insulatedly mounted onthe holder for complete removal for use; a heating element secured tothe igniting unit; contact means on the holder for connecting theheating element to a source of cur rent; a substantially identicalheating element mounted on the exterior of the holder and provided witha contact extending into the holder and engaging the igniting unit andelectrically connecting the said two heating elements; manual means forcompleting the circuit from said source of current through both heatingelements to a ground; and heat-responsive means in heat-- conductingrelation with the heating element mounted on the holder and operativelyconnected With the manual means for opening the circuit when thelast-narned heating element has attained a predetermined temperature.

6. In a cigar lighter, a holder; an igniting unit mounted on the holderfor complete removal for use; a heating element carried by the ignitingunit; means for closing a circuit through the heating element uponmovement of the igniting unit to energizing position; and a control unitremovably mounted exteriorly of the holder adapted to open the circuitthrough the heating element when it has attained a useful temperature,said unit comprising a heating element substantially identical with thefirst-named heating element, a contact carried thereby and extendinginto the path of the igniting unit to complete an electrical connectionbetween the heating elements upon movement of the igniting unit toenergizing position, and heat-responsive means in heat-conductingrelation with the secondnamed heating element adapted to open thecircuit when the latter has attained a predetermined temperature.

HERBERT G. LEHMANN.

